Council of Europe Commissioner Calls on Georgian Officials to Uphold Human Rights Obligations and Protect LGBTI Rights
By Liza Mchedlidze
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Dunja Mijatovic, criticized the Georgian Dream for engaging in political manipulations and harassing LGBTI people and human rights defenders in a democratic society, stating that there is no place for such actions.
Mijatovic expressed concern about the political discourse in Georgia, particularly regarding the Georgian Dream party's initiative to amend the constitution and introduce a new constitutional law on "family values and minors." She highlighted that this initiative exposes entrenched harmful stereotypes and prejudices against LGBTI people in Georgian society, which could negatively impact their human rights, safety, and well-being, as well as the rights defenders.
"I am concerned about the political discourse in Georgia, as shown by the statement made by the Georgian Dream party regarding their initiative to amend the constitution and adopt a new constitutional law on 'family values and minors'. It exposes entrenched harmful stereotypes and prejudices against LGBTI people that still dominate segments of Georgian society, including some politicians, and can have a strong negative impact on human rights, the safety, and well-being of LGBTI people, as well as their rights defenders. It also represents LGBTI-phobic political manipulation in the run-up to the elections, which I have so far condemned, and which has no place in a democratic society based on the rule of law and respect for the human rights of all," Mijatovic stated.
Dunja Mijatovic called on Georgian officials to uphold their human rights obligations as a member state of the Council of Europe. She emphasized the importance of protecting the rights of LGBTI individuals and creating a supportive environment for civil society and human rights defenders. Mijatovic also urged all politicians in Georgia to denounce the use of LGBTI-phobic or any other discriminatory language during the election campaign.
"Accordingly, I call on Georgian officials to fully respect their human rights obligations as a member state of the Council of Europe, including protecting the rights of LGBTI people and providing an environment for the activities of civil society and human rights defenders. I call on all politicians in Georgia to strongly condemn the use of LGBTI-phobia or any other discriminatory rhetoric in the election campaign," Mijatovic said.
